The last measurable snowfall in Atlanta was over four years ago. How will SCAD students react to their first snowstorm on campus?
Talks of a snowstorm have been brewing for a while. It started as quiet speculation, like talking about it would make the snow magically drift away, our first snow in years disappear. But late in the week of January 13, it became harder to ignore, with Governor Brian Kemp declaring a state of emergency for all counties in Georgia.
Although a State of Emergency may seem extreme, it’s important to understand that Atlanta has a very complicated history with snow and is notorious for shutting down every time there’s any slight snowfall. Adam Klafter, a second-year fashion design student, has been living in the Atlanta area all of his life. He’s seen how this city reacts to snowstorms, having experienced some in the past, including the “Snowmageddon” in 2014, a storm that sprinkled only two inches of snow across the city but still managed to cause absolute chaos. “I was in middle school then and they ended school early. Some students even had to sleep at school because they had no way home,” says Klafter. “I just remember so much traffic and no one knowing what to do. I think my mom was stuck in traffic for almost six hours.”
Traffic was backed up for hours. (Image courtesy of Politico magazine.)
After the disastrous events of 2014, Fulton County was determined to have an action plan when it came to snowfall, desperately trying to avoid the apocalyptic scene of years prior. The city of Atlanta staffed 40 snow plow trucks to clear the streets, also carrying 20,000 gallons of brine and 5,500 tons of salt to cut down on ice.
Late Saturday night, SCAD announced that they would be closing campus on Sunday, suspending all transportation and meal services. To assure that students had enough supplies for the storms, Resident Assistants delivered meal kits throughout the evening. The large paper bags held enough essential food supplies, such as milk, cereal, granola bars, sandwiches and salads, to last until campus reopening on Monday morning. Vegan meal kits were also available on request.
Snowfall didn’t begin until noon, with thick flurries starting around 2:30 p.m. Temperatures fell around 34 degrees Fehrenheit, which was just enough to keep the snow falling throughout the evening, stopping close to 4 p.m. It was only a few hours of snow, but students made the best of it, overjoyed to finally experience the winter weather in Atlanta.
Mae Honark, a third-year animation student, built a small snowman on the patio of SCADHouse, which spread its way across Instagram and Snapchat stories across campus.
Wilma, Berkeley’s emotional support dog. 
Berkeley posted on her story late Sunday afternoon.
Berkeley Sherman, a sculpture major, is a Texas native and loves the snow. Her emotional support dog, Wilma, feels the same way. “She had so much fun,” says Berkeley. “She just loves to jump around and run in it . She sometimes rolls around in it too.”
Adam Klafter, pictured left, is no stranger to the snow, having experienced many Atlanta storms in the past. “Honestly, I thought two things (after hearing about the storm), One: Everyone is going to raid the grocery store. And two: I can’t wait to take Instagram photos.”
Mae Honark throws her first ever snowball in the SCAD House courtyard. “I’ve never touched actual snow from the sky!” says Mae.
Isa Rhein poses the flurries falling outside of 100 Midtown. Growing up in Washington, D.C., Isa is used to the snow and loved seeing everyone’s reactions. “Honestly I found it funny because everyone was freaking out and I was excited,” says Rhein. “I love the cold, so this was refreshing.”
